mile. Cramer explained that this average distance allows buses to make fewer stops across the district and helps with timely arrivals. Cramer noted that routes can be staggered depending
on the school start time to allow for more efficient use of resources and enhanced productivity. Meanwhile, the Northwest Independent School Dis-
trict in Texas, located just north of Fort Worth, operates its transportation department in-house after several years of using a third-party company. The district also purchases its own buses. “We typically buy new buses from bond funds. Bonds
for buses and technology are on shorter notes than bonds for schools and other buildings,” said Anthony Toosie, a spokesman for the district. The district has around 200 buses and runs 163 bus
routes for schools and uses buses for field trips, extra- curricular activities and similar transportation matters. “We sustain net enrollment growth of about 1,400 to 1,900 students annually. We currently have more than 31,000 students. To accommodate this growth, we annu-
ally add several routes and run staggered schedules and routes,” Toosie explained. “All employees, including bus drivers, must undergo background checks for the safety of students. Transportation is provided to students who live two miles or farther from their zoned school or have a hazardous route, such as a highway they must cross to get to school.” Most of the buses are of a traditional size, although
there are also buses for special student populations, including buses with wheelchair lifts. During the enrollment process each year, families are
asked to indicate whether their students will ride the bus. Planners use this information to create bus routes for the school year. The challenge, Toosie said, is that sometimes families forget this step. This can cause more students to ride the bus at the start of the school year than anticipated. School buses must then be rerouted a few weeks into the school year to accommodate this increase in student riders. “When we encounter situations with more students riding the bus than indicated, we communicate with
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